Skyridge students tie quilts for global relief effort

April Slaughter | Lehi Free Press

About 100 students at Skyridge High School gathered Wednesday, Jan. 28, in the school’s Commons area to tie quilts for people affected by war and natural disasters, turning an early-release school day into a hands-on humanitarian effort.

The event partnered with Wrap the World with Quilts, a Lehi-based nonprofit that collects and distributes handmade quilts and blankets to refugees, disaster survivors and communities facing humanitarian crises. Students worked in small groups throughout the Commons, cutting fabric and tying knots, while volunteers guided them through the process. Each time a quilt was completed, students rang a bell, and nearby classmates paused to cheer.

Student leaders said the project was valuable far beyond the number of quilts produced. The event was designed to give students a tangible way to serve others and to help them better understand how small actions can have a global impact.

“We’re tying blankets for people in need — refugees around the world,” said Skyridge student leader Grant Weekley. “They’re sent wherever the need is. It’s a simple thing, but it makes a big difference.”

Organizers estimated the event would produce between 120 and 150 quilts by the end of the afternoon. All students were welcome to participate, whether they tied a single blanket or completed several. Teachers and staff members also stopped by throughout the day to observe and encourage students.

The nonprofit behind the project was founded in Lehi following a deeply personal moment at the start of the war in Ukraine.

Gina Halladay, founder of Wrap the World with Quilts, said the organization began when her husband, who had worked remotely with women in Ukraine, received photos of them fleeing across the border into Poland, carrying little more than grocery bags filled with clothing.

“He asked me, ‘You’re a quilter — can we send them a handmade quilt?’” Gina said. “They were shocked that someone in America cared about what was happening to them.”

After Gina shared the idea on social media, quilts began appearing on her Lehi porch almost immediately. What was initially expected to be a modest collection effort quickly grew. Within a short time, the group became an official nonprofit and changed its name from Wrap Ukraine With Quilts to Wrap the World With Quilts to reflect a broader mission of responding wherever humanitarian needs arise.

The organization now partners with Lifting Hands International, a humanitarian nonprofit based in American Fork that ships cargo containers of aid worldwide. Each container requires thousands of quilts and blankets, far more than many organizations can collect on their own.

Since then, Wrap the World with Quilts has collected more than 64,000 quilts over the past four years, all through donations and volunteer labor. Gina estimates the quilts represent about 82 tons of aid, valued at $32 million. The organization is entirely volunteer run, with quilts arriving daily from across the country.

Community partnerships have played a significant role in the nonprofit’s expansion. Gina said Thanksgiving Point in Lehi donated workspace to the organization, providing volunteers with a centralized location to sort donations, sew quilts and coordinate shipments.

“That donated space changed everything for us,” Gina said. “It gave people a place to show up, use their skills and be part of something bigger than themselves.”

In addition to providing physical warmth, the quilts are designed to offer emotional comfort. Each quilt is registered through the nonprofit’s system, allowing donors to include notes of encouragement. When quilts reach their destinations, recipients can send messages back, creating a personal connection between people who may never meet.

The nonprofit has also established sewing centers in Lehi, Poland and Ukraine. One sewing center operates in the basement of an elementary school in Ukraine, allowing children to remain creative and engaged while sheltering during air raid alerts.

At Skyridge, organizers said the quilt-tying event also helped foster connections among students. Many worked alongside classmates they did not previously know, turning the activity into both a service project and a social experience.

A similar quilt-tying event is planned for Wednesday, Feb. 25, at Lehi High School, also during an early-release school day. Wrap the World with Quilts continues to accept quilt and blanket donations and encourages community members, volunteer groups and businesses interested in supporting the effort to get involved. For more information, visit www.wraptheworldwithquilts.com